Pouring it out

I wrote an email recently about some of my current work challenges.

It was honest...

For various reasons, none of these [projects] have been obvious shining successes to date. There has been hard work but with the added burdens of disappointment, frustration and disillusionment.

...and I was encouraged with this honest reply. (Thanks Marsha!)

I had to remember when I’d been a missionary for a few years in Japan. One night I went to evening church and the preacher was preaching about the woman who poured the expensive oil on Jesus’ feet. He said, (this was all in Japanese, of course), “look at our missionaries”. I was the only one there at the time, and I sat up and beamed with self importance. He went on to say, “they come over here, and they’re mostly fine evangelists and seminarians from big churches in America., but they give it all up to study for two years to learn our language” I puffed out my chest with pride. “After two years, they know a little bit of language, about that of a first grader, and they hardly ever really understand our culture”. I was shocked and slunk down in my chair. “Why don’t we get together and ‘suggest’ that they go back home where they could really use their talents” he said. I slunk lower. Then he read out of the bible, this time in English, what Jesus said. “forbid her not, for what she does is a fine and noble thing”. Then he capped it up. “These people have given up something precious and they are POURING out their lives at the feet of Jesus………….we should be humbled to do the same!”